Car-coupling.



1 Patented Feb. 25, |902. P. BROWN.:

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(Application led Feb. 26, 1901.)

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CAR COUPLING.

(Application me@ Feb. 28, 1901.)

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No. S93-,998.

P.y Bnown. CAB C'OUPIING.

` (Application Bled Fa. 28, 1901.)

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(No Model.)

wwwa/boca' UNITED STATES v PATENT OFFICE.

PERRY BROWN, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE.

CAR-COUPLlNG.

SPECIFICATION forming-'part of Letters Patent No. 693,998, dated February 25, 1902. Application filed February 26, 1901. Serial No. 48,969. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, PERRY BROWN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wilmington, in the county of Newcastle, State of Delaware, have invented aA certain new and useful Improvement in Oar-Couplers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improvement in car-couplers of that class known as twinjaw couplers; and the object of the invention is to provide a simple form of coupler in which the coupling-knuckle is thrown into the uncoupled position automatically by the same means used to hold the locking-pin in its elevated position ready for the car to be coupled.

With this object and the improvement of the details of the coupler in View my invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combinations of parts hereinafter more particularly described and Vthen definitely claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which represent the preferable embodiment of my invention as I now view it, Figure 1 is a top plan of my improved coupler with parts broken away. Fig. 2 is aside elevation, also with Y parts broken away. Figs. 3, 4c, and 5 are front elevations each having a portion broken away, the three figures showing the lockingpin in each of the positions it is capable ofoccupying. Fig. 6 is a perspective detaill of the pusher.7 Fig. 7 isa similar View of the spring for operating the pusher. Figs. and 9 are detached perspective views of two forms of locking-pins, and Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a modified form ofpusher.

Referring now to the details of the drawings by numerals," 1 represents the couplinghead, which may be of any desired form except as hereinafter provided and to which is pivoted the knuckle 2 by means of the usual hinge-pin 3. This knuckle may be of the ordinary shape; but I prefer to make it with a hooked rear end, as seen at 4, and this hook is arranged to fit behind a vertical rib 5 when in the coupled position. (See Fig. l.)

Thelocking-pin, which is indicated by 6 and of which two forms are shown in detail in Figs. 8 and 9, works in a substantially cen.- tral pocket 7. This pin 6 is cut away at its lower end, as seen at 8, so as to form a f halflock, and is also provided with a projecting lug 9. This lug is riveted to the lower end of the locking-pin 6 after said pin has been placed in position, the lug preventing the pin from being entirely withdrawn from the coupler. The lower end of the locking-pin is also formed wedge-shaped on one side, as shown 'at 10, and this wedge coacts with oppositely-inclined wedging-surfaces 11 and 11, formed at the lower end of the pocket 7, the purpose of this construction being to prevent the pin from creeping upwardly. kThis is accomplished by the pull of the tail of the knuckle against the locking pin 6, which forces the wedge-of the pin against one of the surfaces 11 or 11a, and as the pullV increases the tendency of the pin to work upwardly is decreased. It will be observed that there are two inclined surfaces 11 and 11 in the wall of the pocket 7, and the upper one is for the purpose of preventing the locking-pin from creeping upwardly when the half-lock is used. This is well shown in Fig. 5, and it will also be seen from this figure that the pin Vis sufficiently long to extend into the lower half of the pocket 7, even when the knuckle is in the half-coupled position. I deem this important, for the reason that the strain from the pin is borne by both the top and bottom parts of Ithe 'coupler insteadof only by the top, as usual. Instead of the wedge being integrally formed on the lower end of the pin 6 it may be formed as shown in Fig. 9,where l Vin the pin is formed of two parts-a main h'ollow part l2 and a head 13, having a stem 14- shown in dotted lines as working in the opening in said main part 12. The stem has a slot 15, and a pin 16 passes through the slot and the walls of the part 12, and thus limits. the movement of one of these parts 12 and 13 on the other. An opening is formed in theside of the part l2, and a wedge 17 Worksgin and out of said opening, thiswedge being pivoted to the end of the stem 14, as shown also in dotted lines. When the parts are in the positions shown in Fig. 9, the wed ge 17 projects from the' hollow part of the locking-pin and wedges against the wall 18 of the coupling head, (see Fig. 5,) and thus the locking-pin is prevented from working upwardly. If it is desired to lift the pin to uncouple, the head IOD 13 is raised, and as it can move the length of the slot independently of the part 12 this movement draws the wedge 17 within the opening in the pin and allows the pin to be raised. It is obvious that the locking-pin could be made hollow for its entire length, and the wedge could then act through the side of the pin near the bottom, so as to coact with the inclined surfaces 11 and 11, before mentioned.

To the upper end of the coupling-pin is pivoted the shackle 19, which is formed with a downwardly-projecting lug or ear 20, which coacts with a lug 2l, cast on the head of the locking-pin, and thus prevents the shackle or link of the chain from falling rearwardly.

In order to' throw the knuckle to its uncoupled position when the locking-pin is raised, I employ a pusher' 23, whose shank 24 is journaled in the upper horizontal wall of the coupling-head and held in position by means of a cotter 25. This pusher 23 is provided with a tail 26, which swings behind the tail of the knuckle, and a spring 27 is einployed, which is arranged, as shown in Fig. 1, to act in the groove 28 in the pusher 23, and thus swing the pusher on its shank. This spring 27 thus forces the pusher against the tail of the knuckle and tends to push the knuckle open. Thus when the locking-pin is elevated the spring acting on the pusher throws the knuckle to its uncoupled position, and the tail of the pusher is so shaped as to lie under the locking-pin when the latter is raised, and thereby holds the pin in its unlocked position. (See Fig. l.) While I much prefer to use this pusher with the spring for actuating the same, it is within the scope of my invention to use a spring alone, which is constructed to act as a pusher to push open the knuckle and to support the locking-pin in its raised position after the knuckle has been thrown open. This modification is shown in Fig. 10 and comprises a bolt or pin 29, on which the spring-pusher 30 is journaled, the latter having an arm 31 and tail 32 to push open the knuckle and support the pin.

I have hereinbefore referred to the knuckle as having a hooked end 4, which tits behind the vertical rib 5. These parts are itted carefully,so that part of the pull on the knuckle is transmitted to the rib 5, and the hinge-pin 3 is thereby partially relieved of strain. In fact,the hook and rib are so shaped that should the hinge-pin break the knuckle would still be held in position and could not be withdrawn until the locking-pin is elevated. The hooked end of this knuckle is so shaped as to remain under the pusher when the latter supports the locking-pin in its raised position, so that if the pusher should become broken the locking-pin would descend only the thickness of the pusher and would then be supported by the hooked end of the locking-pin.

From the foregoing and the accompanying drawings it will be seen that I have invented a most simple form of coupler, which is admirably adapted to withstand the heavy service now demanded and at the same time be most easily operated.

What I claim as new is- 1. In a car-coupler, a knuckle and a locking-pin therefor, and a spring-actuated pusher swinging on a pivot-point and arranged to throw said knuckle open `and to hold said locking-pin in an unlocked position; that part of the pusher acting on the knuckle and pin projecting entirely on one side of the pivotpoint on which it swings.

2. In a car-coupler, a knuckle and a vertically-moving locking-pin therefor, in combination with a pivoted spring-actuated pusher arranged to throw said knuckle open and to hold said locking-pin in its elevated position; that part of the pusher acting on the knuckle and locking-pin comprising a single armprojecting entirely on one side of its pivot.`

3. In a coupler, a coupling-head, a knuckle pivoted thereto, a lock for said knuckle, and a pivoted spring-actuated pusher contained within said coupling-head and arranged to throw said knuckle open and to hold said lock in its inoperative position.

4;. In a coupler, a coupling-head, a knuckle pivoted thereto, a locking-pin for said knuckle, in combination with a pivoted spring-actuated pusher contained within said couplinghead and having an integral tail arranged to throw said knuckle open; the said pusher also holding said pin in its elevated position when the knuckle is open.

5. In a coupler, a knuckle, and lock, in combination with a spring-actuated pusher swinging on a pivot-point and having its swinging member comprising a single arm with an integral tail; the tail arranged to throw said knuckle open and the arm arranged to hold the lock in an unlocked position.

6. In a coupler, apivoted knuckle, a pusher journaled in the upper wall of the couplinghead and having a tail arranged to throw the knuckle open, the said pusher also holding the locking portion in its unlocked position when the knuckle is open.

7. In a coupler, apivoted knuckle, a pusher' journaled in the upper wall of the couplinghead and having a tail arranged to throw the knuckle open, the said pusher also being arranged to swing under the said locking-pin and hold the same in an unlocked position.

8. In a coupler, a pivoted knuckle, a locking-pin, a pusher journaled in the upper wall of the coupling-head and arranged to hold the said pin in an unlocked position, and having a tail arranged to throw the knuckle open, and a spring arranged to actuate said pusher.

9. In a coupler, a recess for a locking-pin having two wedging-surfaces therein, and a coupling-pin having a wedge arranged to coact with each of said wedging-surfaces, whereby the locking-pin is prevented from creeping both on the whole and half lock.

10. In a coupler, a pivoted knuckle and a locking-pin therefor, and a pusher arranged too to throw said knuckle open and to hold said locking-pin raised; the tail of the knuckle also swinging under and remaining under the locking-pin when the knuckle is open.

l1. In a coupler having an internal rib as 5 therein, apivoted knuckle having a hooked tail arranged to coact with said rib and thereby partially relieve the strain on the pivot of said knuckle, a locking-pin, and a pusher arranged to throw said knuckle open and to swing under and support the locking-pin; the tail of the coupler also being arranged to swing under said locking-pin; and remain thereunder when the knuckle is open.

l2. 1n a coupler, a coupling-pin having a lug on the head thereof, a link or shackle pivoted to said head and also having a lug or projection on its under side coacting with the lug on the' head and thereby preventing the link or shackle from falling rearwardly; the said lugs on the head and link or shackle being so located and proportioned that the link or shackle is capable of assuming a substantially vertical position, whereby a vertical pull can be given to said locking-pin.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature, in the presence of two witnesses, this 21st day of February, 1901.

' PERRY BROWN.

Witnesses:

THos. E. ROBERTSON, GEO. E. FREOH. 

